We are Afrikindness
Clinical Research (NHS Funded)
Bridge the Gap: Increasing Black Community Representation in Clinical Research
Partner with usBuilding Trust. Amplifying Voices. Transforming Research Participation
Across the UK, Black communities, particularly African and African-Caribbean populations, remain significantly underrepresented in clinical research. Afrikindness is working in partnership with NHS Bradford District care research initiatives to change this
Our Approach
We place community voices at the centre of research engagement. Through direct dialogue and collaboration, we are:
– Listening to lived experiences
– Exploring perceptions of clinical research
– Understanding what influences participation decisions
Our engagement spans communities in Bradford and surrounding areas, ensuring diverse perspectives across age groups and backgrounds.
What We Are Doing
Through this partnership, Afrikindness is:
– Delivering health research awareness training to ethnic minority communities on Mental health and Dementia.
– Conducting focus group discussions across multiple age groups.
– Identifying key barriers to clinical trial participation
– Facilitating community mapping and needs assessments
– Supporting recruitment into clinical research studies
– Producing monthly insight reports for NHS stakeholders
Why This Work Matters
Inclusive clinical research leads to better health outcomes for everyone.
Without diverse representation:
– Treatments may be less effective for underrepresented groups
– Health inequalities persist and widen
– Communities remain disconnected from healthcare advancements
This project aims to ensure that Black communities are not only included—but actively shaping research.
How we do it - Driving Change Through Community-Led Insight
Rather than relying on traditional recruitment approaches, Afrikindness works with communities, not on communities.
Our model integrates:
– Community engagement
– Research insight
– Policy influence
This ensures that solutions are culturally relevant, trusted, and sustainable.
About the Research Project
Black communities continue to face systemic barriers to participating in clinical research, including historical mistrust, cultural misconceptions, and limited access to information.
Afrikindness is currently delivering a funded community engagement project in partnership with NHS Bradford District Care and NHS Foundation Trust research initiatives. This work focuses on building trust, improving awareness, and co-creating solutions that enable more inclusive and equitable participation in clinical research.
Communities engaged
Our sincere thanks to the communities below, who have actively contributed to this work. Your openness, trust, and lived experiences are helping to drive meaningful change and shape the future of equitable clinical research.
About the Researcher
Kemi Oseni is the Community Engagement Officer for Afrikindness. She is a health systems researcher and community engagement practitioner working at the intersection of research inclusion, digital health, and health equity. With credible cross-sector experience, a Masters in Research at the University of Glasgow, she currently works in partnership with NHS research teams to engage African and African-Caribbean communities in clinical research. Her work focuses on identifying and addressing structural and cultural barriers to participation through focus groups, interviews, community mapping, and evidence-based programme design. She is particularly interested in improving the representation of minority populations in health research, ethical digital health innovation, and governance surrounding AI in healthcare. She is also a member of the HRA Research Ethics Committee.
Kemi Oseni
Community Engagement Officer, Afrikindness
Email:- kemi.oseni@afrikindness.org
Tel:- 03301335442
Want to get involved?
Are you a community based in Bradford? We welcome collaboration from:
African & Afri-Caribbean Communities | Faith Communities (Christian & Muslim) | Black Researchers & Healthcare professionals | African-based partner organisations and businesses.
If you would like to learn more or get involved, please contact us
